Various fields, such as battery materials, semiconductor processing, and nano-materials, use materials that are sensitive to air. Exposure causes the material to degrade. For example, the surface of a sample of material may crack, and prolonged exposure to oxygen or water may destroy the sample altogether. Research on such materials often requires moving samples between pieces of equipment used to process and/or analyze the sample, such as glove boxes, scanning electron microscopes (SEM), focused ion beams (FIB) systems, and transmission electron microscopes (TEM). Limiting the samples' exposure to air during such transfer is crucial to successful experimentation, but equipment seldom includes airtight transfer systems.
Conventionally, a sample is first placed in a glove box, where it is inserted in a container. The container is then closed, inserted into a work chamber of a piece of equipment, and opened so that the equipment may analyze or process the sample. However, the manner in which existing containers open and close risk damaging the samples, equipment, or both, especially since sensitive components (e.g., sensors, ion guns) are often located within 10.0 mm of the focal plane of the equipment. Moreover, some equipment manufacturers may provide transfer systems, but they are seldom included with the equipment and tend to be costly.
One example, the Vacushut previously manufactured by Plano GmbH of Wetzlar, Germany, used a spring-loaded lid attached to a plastic bag. Inflating the bag lifts the lid, causing the lid to swing open by rotating more than ninety (90) degrees around a hinge. This range of motion could easily bring the lid in contact with sensitive components within equipment. Further, if the container malfunctions, the lid may open with more force than desired, causing greater damage. For FIBs, the sample stage rotates about two (2) orthogonal axes, and a loose, open lid moving in tandem risks further damage to the equipment. Moreover, when the bag is deflated, the spring closes the lid, but if the lid abruptly and forcefully closes (e.g., in response to the bag rupturing), the closure could shock and impact both the samples and the equipment. Other types of containers rely on self-rupturing membranes to close, which pose similar problems.
Moreover, many existing mechanisms for inserting samples into equipment are tailored to a particular type of equipment. For example, a transfer rod may be designed for inserting a sample into a TEM, but not a FIB. An airlock may be tailored for a SEM, but not a TEM. A container that opens or shuts using an infrared sensor can only be used with equipment that includes a viewing window. Therefore, to perform experiments, a researcher must purchase separate and costly tools for each type of equipment used during an experiment.